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Need For Advanced It Skills For Accountants €“ What Does Accounting Education Literature Tell Us?

Author

Listed:
  • Susanne Leitner-Hanetseder
  • Christoph Eisl
  • Carina Knoll
  • Othmar M. Lehner

Abstract

In the digital age, technology has a significant impact on the professional field of accountants. The constantly evolving digital technologies lead to changing tasks and require new skills. This has been the subject of accounting (education) literature for a long time. Using a structured literature review (SLR), we explore what IT skills have been required the last decade and conclude whether these skills meet the requirements of an advanced (semi-autonomous) accounting organization. Our study shows that the accounting education literature identifies the need to integrate advanced IT skills into educational programs. We conclude with a discussion of the drivers and obstacles for implementing IT skills in accounting education curricula. Our findings and derived recommendations should be of interest to accounting educators and professional bodies and highlight the need for further research related to IT skills for accountants in the digital age.

Suggested Citation

  • Susanne Leitner-Hanetseder & Christoph Eisl & Carina Knoll & Othmar M. Lehner, 2021. "Need For Advanced It Skills For Accountants €“ What Does Accounting Education Literature Tell Us?," Business Education and Accreditation, The Institute for Business and Finance Research, vol. 13(1), pages 57-69.
    • Handle: RePEc:ibf:beaccr:v:13:y:2021:i:1:p:57-69
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Digitalization; Accounting Education; IT Skills;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A22 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Undergraduate
    • A23 - General Economics and Teaching - - Economic Education and Teaching of Economics - - - Graduate
    • M41 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - Accounting
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes

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